Wanderer's Apprentice
by UnseenRangerGal
Summary: The Wanderers are a group of people who were created to oppose the Rangers. This story follows a little boy named Vontade through his ordeal with the Wanderers.
1. A Few Explanations

**A/N: This is basically like a longer summary or a prologue. I recommend you read it, but you can skip ahead. The story will seem kind of confusing though if you do.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice.**

Wanderer's Apprentice

Some Explanations

Everything had been peaceful for a few years, but now there was a group that shattered the peace. They called themselves, the Wanderers. The Wanderers were made to destroy and oppose the Rangers. It was starting to annoy and the scare Queen Cassandra and King Horace. They mostly hated the dreaded leader, Falcão, and the best Wanderer, Arrettez. Arrettez's old apprentice was Galo. Galo was actually a pretty good person, but not that it mattered. Nobody was known to outsmart a Ranger, but the Wanderers were. Nothing was safe anymore. Everybody lived in constant fear. Almost nobody survived to tell the tale of the Wanderers.

This is the story of those Wanderers and their most well know clash with the Rangers.

Wanderers apprentices don't get chosen like Ranger apprentices. Wanderers look specially for kids that might have potential, so they kidnap kids at a young age that they won't know of their parents. The kids are then taught how evil Ranger's are, and ways to defend against them. Some of them are saved and adopted as Ranger's apprentices, but most live as a Wanderer.

There is a story about one very special Wanderer named Vontade. Which means Will in Gallic. interestingly he was named after the famous Ranger Will Treaty. Wanderers names sometimes correspond to a Ranger's name. Vontade's mentor's name is Arrettez. Surprisingly they always chose people who have the same personality as a Ranger that is on the corps still. This means that the Wanderers had an equal chance of being a Ranger but were just found by the Wanderers first.

It was suprising how similar a Wanderer was to a Ranger. The main difference was that a Wanderer wore a bronze, silver, or gold maple leaf around their neck and were brought up differently. The problem was they always hid the leaf under their green and gray cloaks and would never let on their true identities. Whenever someone found out who they were it was already to late. On very rare occasions, once recorded, but that's a different story, a Ranger would die mysteriously and the Wanderers were the killers. More often though a Wanderer will die at a Ranger's hand. The question was why? Why did the Wanderer's hold back from full on attacking the Rangers?


	2. A Wanderer is Chosen

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Ranger's Apprentice. I have the Wanderers :)**

Chapter 1

A drawn out scream was heard on a crisp autumn morning. It was the scream of a mother. A mother who had lost her child. Arrettez smiled inwardly to himself. Another nights work was completed, and their was a plus too. A boy. He had found a small child of three. The boy looked like he might one day make a great Wanderer. Arrettez felt a protective feeling towards it. Like a mother might a child, how ironic.

All of a sudden Arrettez heard a small noise. He was being followed! Arrettez listened carefully, then cursed under his breath. It was a Ranger! It could only be one Ranger, Gilan, this was his feif after all. This was not good. He checked his horse and made it go faster. The boy woke up but was silent. Arrettez could swear it was glaring accusingly at him, but the little boy didn't or couldn't do anything.

Arrettez looked at the boy, hoping it wouldn't cry. The boy just looked away. He'll be a great Wanderer one day, Arrettez thought.

. . .

Gilan had heard an agonized scream and spurred his horse to a gallop; hurrying towards the sound of the screaming. There was a women and she was looking at a burning house.

Gilan came down from his horse and asked "What happened?" although it was kind of obvious.

The woman was crying, tears were streaming down her face, but she managed to gasp "My child is in there!" and point to the house.

She made a sudden lunge towards the house, but Gilan stopped her by putting his hand on her shoulder and effectively keeping her from getting any farther.

"I'm sorry m'am," he said shaking his head "But there is nothing I can do about it. Let alone you."

The women cried even harder. Gilan felt hopeless. He knew he had to be brave for this women though. He sighed. This was bad. Then he noticed a hoofprint on the ground. It was a Wanderer's doing and this Wanderer was getting careless . . . Too careless . . . Or it could be a trap. Gilan smiled to himself. That was good for him, now he would have an easier time tracking down the Wanderer.

"Mam, I think I know where your child is, and I think I can get him back for you," Gilan said. The women looked up hopefully at him. She didn't say anything but Gilan knew she was thankful. "What is the child's name?" He asked.

"Vontade, and I am Graza" she said.

Gilan looked at her curiously. Wondering what kind of name Vontade was. It sounded Gallic. He would ask Halt later. Gilan nodded to her and rode off after the Wanderer.

. . .

"You say he didn't cry?" asked Falcão, in a voice that clearly said he didn't believe him. "A baby isn't that smart now is it?"

"You misjudge," Arrettez answered, annoyed that Falcão didn't believe him. "He really was silent."

"He probably just was frozen by shock" Falcão said closing the subject.

Arrettez stalked out, angry. Falcão was the worst person to talk to at times like this. Maybe he could . . . No! His old apprentice isn't going to work either. Arrettez sighed. It was times like this he wished the Wanderers were a more tight-knit group. Instead there was a group of 50 mainstreamers and a million dim wits who pretended they were Wanderers and deserved more respect than they did. Maybe a good nights sleep would help him. He smiled inwardly as he thought about the baby that was going to be sharing his cabin tonight. The world seemed just a little brighter.

. . .

Gilan shook his head. Time to get off this trail, he thought. They're long gone. Maybe we will catch them tomorrow. In his head he knew that it would be a very slim chance. He had let the women down. He sighed in defeat and turned around.

. . .

"You lost him?!" Halt and Crowley both asked at the same time in wonderment.

Gilan shifted uncomfortably and said "Well, he is a Wanderer. They're not easy to catch." Halt and Crowley both realized they were overreacting and calmed down. "He got away with a baby," Gilan said while sighing.

Halt rised and nodded, a silent signal that told Gilan they would discuss this in the morning, and swept off.


	3. Training Kind of

**Disclaimer: John Flanagan still owns RA. This is a fanfiction.**

Chapter 2

Vontade walked out of the cabin to breath in some fresh air. Today he would finally start to serve the Wanderers. Well, not really, but close enough for him to believe so, he was still young after all. Vontade was now seven and ready to start training, according to Arrettez, people started training at different times. He wanted to help destroy the "evil" Ranger Corps that had caused the Wanderers so much trouble.

"So, your awake," said a voice from behind Vontade. Vontade jumped and turned around. It was only Arrettez, his mentor, starting from this morning. "Good let's begin"

They started with some small game tracking. Not as easy as it looks or sounds, thought Vontade ruefully. He had thought they would start with something fun, but it would not be so. The whole morning was being "wasted" on looking at various small animal tracks. Vontade sighed.

"Did you hear what I just said?" Arrettez asked calmly. Vontade hadn't realized Arrettez was talking at all, this was not good. "What tracks are those?" Arrettez continued. Vontade gulped. He had no idea, he berated himself as he realized that Arrettez had just told him. "Those are rabbit tracks," Arrettez said as though he was talking to a three year old. Vontade flushed as he realized he had known that. "You have to listen," Arrettez told him sternly. Vontade nodded, he couldn't tell if Arrettez's eyes were twinkling a bit in amusement. Probably a trick of the light.

"Arrettez!" yelled one of the many people who pretended to be a high-ranking Wanderer "The Rangers, they-they're attacking!"

"Where?" Arrettez asked. Still calm "Are they attacking the camp?"

"Yes!" The man said, frantic "Hurry! We need help right now!" The man yelled over his shoulder as he ran off.

Arrettez shook his head. That person was overreacting way too much for Arrettez's liking. Arrettez calmly got up from his crouching position and picked up his bow. Vontade then realized what was happening and his face went pale as a ghost.

"You heard the man. Hurry. We mustn't miss out on the fun," Arrettez said, his eyes sparkling with mischief and mirth for sure this time. "Anytime today would be fine," he added more seriously as he realized that Vontade wasn't moving.

Vontade looked up. Then he realized his mentor was leaving and said "Wait for me Arrettez!"

"I already have," he said, Arrettez turned around and for a second, he seemed to be smiling, but it was there for such a short time he couldn't be sure it was.

. . .

Falcão frowned. Everything was going horribly wrong. Then Arrettez stepped out into the camp and walked up to him. They looked at each other and then Arrettez walked off with Vontade running to catch up to him.

The Rangers had already established who knew how to fight and who had never picked up a real weapon in their life. Thus causing mayhem in the ranks of lower, and therefore newer or self-proclaiming, Wanderers. The Wanderers were barely fending off the Rangers. Both leaders were now facing each other, bows taught. Some Wanderers were so desperate they were grappling with the Rangers, hand in hand. Some broken knives lay strewn across the ground. Some without handles. Of course the bows were being carefully kept out of harm, nobody wanted their bow to break.

All of a sudden Arrettez was gone. Vontade couldn't find him. He looked around. Only to find himself facing a young Ranger. Everything seemed to slow down . . .


	4. Bad Encounter?

**A/N: I have a lot of this story written but will only be posting 1 chapter per day or something when I can starting today.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Ranger's Apprentice, that's why I wrote this!**

Chapter 3

The Ranger looked at him with, was that pity in his eyes? No, it couldn't be, Rangers never experienced emotions that people could see, sometimes it even seemed they didn't have any emotions at all. Vontade realized that he had made a big mistake, standing still and making an easy target for so long. The Ranger's bow was already up and drawn back. Not realizing what he was doing Vontade backed up against a tree.

The Ranger let loose the arrow. It arched through the air and Vontade knew he would die, his eyes stung and he was afriad he would cry in front of this Ranger. That was not what the Ranger had planned for him though. The arrow slid into his left sleeve, effectively pinning his cloak and undershirt to the tree. Another followed it on the other side. His clothes were pinned in to place by one arrow after another, some so close to his neck that it scared him half to death. Making it almost impossible for him to move. The Ranger walked away. Pretending nothing had happened.

Then Vontade fainted.

. . .

"Where is Vontade?" Arrettez questioned. He did not look happy. "Come on Ranger. Tell me. Before I decide you're not worth the trouble," he sneered, but worry also clouded his eyes a bit, though he tried his best to hide it by turning around quickly as though angry.

The Ranger threw his head back and laughed. "Would you really kill your only chance to find you precious apprentice? I thought you Wanderers were smarter than that. He's only 7. You better find him quick or he may not survive," The Ranger quipped, it was an insult to the Wanderer's pride, but he was lying, they wouldn't kill the kid, not that Arrettez realized this in the state he was in.

Arrettez paced the room. Not one of his usual habits.

"Arrettez snap out of it!" Galo said sharpening his knives as he said this, he looked like he didn't care at all what would come out of this conversation, "Vontade is not worth this much time. You barely started training him."

At that Arrettez stared at Galo with a cold gaze, amazed that Galo only judged by how useful he was at the moment. He didn't have to say anything. Galo knew he had stepped over a line, or rather, stupidly tripped and fumbled over it. Galo opened his mouth to say something and fix what he had said, take it back, but quickly closed it. Galo berated himself for just how stupid he could be sometimes and backed away from Arrettez, looking at the ground.

. . .

"Yes Crowley," said a man swathed in a green cloak "The boy was pale as the moon. I had to keep him out of the fight. It looked like he had just began his training. Or he did not have any yet," the man added the last part a bit reluctantly.

Crowley nodded and said "Yes. I think he had training or else he wouldn't be in the fight. Unless his mentor forgot him in his hurry to help 'defeat' our corps, just like a Wanderer to do that. Well, anyway, What did you do with him?"

"I pinned him to a tree," the man said, then he contemplated whether what he did was really smart, he hadn't had much time to think about what to do at the time.

"What?" Crowley asked. "Why didn't you just go and bring him here!? It would have been better than what you did!"

"He's seven," the other man flinched a bit as Crowley glared at him angrily.

"All the better," Crowley answered coldly. He muttered something to himself in displeasure and walked off, leaving the other man to go find a way to recover the chance he had that he accidently threw away.


	5. Wake Up

**A/N: Hi, sorry for not updating, we went out to do some stuff and I didn't have time to get on the computer. I'll probably be updating at a chapter per five days actually. Maybe faster, maybe not.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

Chapter 4

Vontade woke up pinned against a tree, wondering how he got there. Then he remembered and let out a groan. Pinned against a tree, the last place he would want to be. Or, maybe not, the _last_ place he would want to be is with Arrettez after this fight, or maybe in the Ranger's hands. He shuddered at the thought.

Now was not the time to think about where he would rather not be! Now was the time to get out of here! But how . . .

_Where was Arrettez when you needed him_, Vontade thought. One idea that popped into his head was, he could pull the arrows out with his teeth, well, at least the ones he could reach. Not very many at that. That Ranger was great at putting arrows in strategic spots, just like in every Ranger story he'd heard. Oh well, might as well get started. Better than standing here doing nothing.

Vontade twisted his head and bit down on the arrow in his sleeve. Now his neck was twisted in an almost impossible position. He couldn't pull with his neck in this position Vontade realized. I have to try though! He pulled and the arrow snapped. Well, there's no fletching to stop his arm from coming out. Then, Vontade realized something, if he could break the arrow so easily he could just pull away from the tree and the arrows would probably break. Vontade berated himself for not realizing this earlier. Then Vontade stepped to the side and forward and the arrows indeed broke. He was surprised to find that he actually was hoping that they wouldn't break. Now why would that be . . .

"Stay right there," someone hissed from just outside the clearing.

"Where are you?" Vontade asked, then added "Who are you?"

"You have no need to know, and I don't care to tell you at the moment" the person answered, very calmly. Vontade's heart was pounding and he stepped towards the voice involuntarily "Very smart move," the person said sarcastically.

"You sound like my mentor," Vontade thought out loud.

"Oh, very good," the man said while stepping out of the trees. The man was swathed in a green and gray cloak and he seemed to shimmer and disappear every once in a while. Vontade paled and the man said "Are you going to faint again?" he said almost amusedly as he said this he raised his eyebrow.

"Just like my mentor," Vontade breathed.

"I almost am," the man answered and stepped towards Vontade again, "I almost am."

"You're not-"

"Yes, in fact, I am," he countered.

"You're . . . Halt," Vontade ventured, his eyes widening and his breath quickening.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to realize that," Halt said, almost to himself, as Vontade backed away. The next thing they both knew Arrettez was standing between them.

"Go away, now," Arrettez said and Halt sighed, almost in exasperation. He muttered something incomprehensible and left. Vontade was now hiding behind Arrettez, he was still seven years old after all. "It's fine," Arrettez said gruffly.

"He, he was so scary," Vontade said shivering, but it wasn't from cold.

"Yes, he must have been," Arrettez answered. He seemed distant. Vontade nodded agreement, little did he know that Halt was doing the same action just a mile away, but not as happily or readily.

. . .

"I was so close," Halt said, "Crowley, we need to come up with a distraction. So we can get Vontade away from those Wanderers."

Crowley shook his head and answered, "I'm sorry Halt but we've never made more than one venture towards one apprentice. It's too hard once they know who we're trying to go after, we can't start now just because Vontade reminds you of Will." Halt nodded agreement but didn't look too happy about it. Crowley sighed, knowing that Halt would probably run off anyway and get Vontade. Halt wasn't one to give up so easily, but he made a venture anyway, "Halt, please don't even think about chasing after Vontade." Halt's face seemed to darken even more as he nodded this time and left.

**A/N: I would love it if you reviewed and thanks for reading!**


	6. Was Everything Else Not Enough?

**A/N: This is for not uploading when I said I would ;)**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Ranger's Apprentice.**

Chapter 5

Vontade shivered in his sleep. He was 10 now but he still couldn't get the picture of Halt out of his head. He was just so similar to his mentor, it was scary. Somehow, he liked Halt better that Arrettez though. No matter how similar they were.

Vontade jumped out of his bed to see the sun rising and groaned. He'd probably be late or something according to Arrettez. Why hadn't he called him up?

10 more years with Arrettez, could life get any worse? No, it probably couldn't. Could he even survive 10 more years? His mind jumped back to Halt, he liked him. Maybe just because he wasn't his mentor. Could he really tell the difference? Vontade shook his head to clear it of those crazy thoughts.

So many questions were bouncing around his head that he fell back into his bed, totally exhausted. Then Arrettez yelled "Vontade! Coffee's on the table!"

Vontade wasn't very happy. Most Rangers and Wanderers love coffee, but the thing about younger Wanderers was, they abosoulutely loathed it! The reason was simple, they were too young to have developed a taste for it and the coffee was too bitter. Wanderers didn't care that they weren't old enough to care about, or want, coffee.

Either way Vontade yelled back "Coming Arrettez!" Another day of practice. Vontade sighed, they hadn't missed a single day of training since that faithful day he had met Halt. On the bright side, he could best almost anybody on this side of Arulea, not inclucing Rangers and Wanderers, at close combat or a shoot off. He smiled to himself, all that practice and he still couldn't best a single full fledged Ranger or Wanderer, probably not even another apprentice. Vontade ran to the kitchen, pulling on his shirt as he went. He almost fell head over heels and Arrettez noticed this, he never failed to miss any of Vontade's short-comings it seemed.

Arrettez sighed and said "Today we aren't going to practice battle, we're going to practice silent movement." He paused for a while and added "Also, we're going to practice not tripping all over your feet when running on _flat ground_. I thought I could hold this off for a while longer, but it seems we can't, or else you would be sparwled over the floor every 5 minutes and then we won't get anything done." Vontade frowned at that last part, but didn't deny it. No matter how grim Arrettez tried to act today Vontade couldn't shake the feeling that he was extra happy.

"Is there something special going on today?" Vontade asked caustiously. Arrettez turned in surprise, but didn't let Vontade know he was.

"Yes," he answered, "Don't you remember?" when Vontade shook his head Arrettez shook his head and continued "Today was the day I found you" this was a lie, but it wasn't like Vontade knew he had been kidnapped. Vontade looked at him in surprise and Arrettez sighed. "I never told you the exact date, did I." It was more of a statement than a question. "Well now's not the time to start telling you everything you don't need to know."

"Tell me!" Vontade said, more forcefully than he meant to. "I mean, please?" Arrettez just shook his head.

"Time to start training," Arrettez announced, expertly guiding away the conversation. Vontade groaned again, forgetting about their previous topic of discussion. "You certainly need it." Arrettez seemed to want to add something but stopped and just stood there for a second.

"Arrettez?" Vontade asked uncertainly. "Are you okay?" Arrettez just nodded and walked outside. Forgetting all about Vontade, leaving him to just stand and stare at the open door. Then, Vontade followed him . . .

When Vontade walked out he couldn't find Arrettez. He looked around, worried. Then he heard a twig snap to his left. He turned around quickly and saw a pair of soft brown eyes above a well-groomed muzzle. With the pattern of a star shape between it's ears. Why, it was a horse! Or, more like a pony almost. Vontade stepped wearily towards it and the horse shook it's mane. This startled Vontade and he stopped. But when he saw the horse wasn't going to hurt him he laughed at the fact he thought the horse would hurt him and advanced again. The horse tossed it's mane again and snorted. As Vontade passed the apple barrel he picked one up. The horse pricked his ears and walked towards him. He gave the apple to the horse and stroked it.

"I see you have met Puxão," Arrettez said, stepping out of the trees.

"Puxão? Is he the same type of horse as Mazá?" Vontade inquired.

"Yes," Arrettez answered, "I thought it might be time you got your own horse." Then added awkwardly, "It's not a he, it's a she.

"Puxão . . ." Vontade said trying out the word "What does it mean? Wait, did you say Puxão is a girl?"

"Puxão means Tug, and yes, Puxão is a girl," Arrettez says in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Well it doesn't matter. Wow, a horse of my own," Vontade breathed "Thanks Arrettez!" Vontade said as he ran and hugged Arrettez. This was probably the best day of his life!

**A/N: I know, lame ending. Anyway, again, please review! One sec, I think I'm missing a chapter . . . No, wait, nevermind, I'm not. This is the last chapter in _this_ story. You'll have to look at the next story called: Wanderer's Apprentice: Clash, thanks!**


	7. Read the AN this time!

**A/N: So some of you don't read author notes, so this is to say the story is now continued in ****_Wanderer's Apprentice: Clash_**** Don't disregard this message!**

Wanderer's Apprentice: Clash preview:

All of a sudden a girl with a drawn bow kicked down the door. She had dark brown hair with streaks of lighter browns and blacks, she had green eyes and was very slim. "My mentor is going to kill me," she muttered, "Kicking down doors and barging into a Wanderer cabin by myself. He always said I was hot headed" Then she remembered where she was and raised the bow while about to yell something, but it was too late. Arrettez was at her throat with his saxe knife.

**A/N: Yes it was short so you would read why! Remember, the story is continued in ****_Wanderer's Apprentice: Clash_****! This is a preview!**


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